“The more radical the person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality so that, knowing it better, he or she can transform it. This individual is not afraid to confront, to listen, to see the world unveiled.― Paulo Freire

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Third time around, this time tagged by Malu Sciamarelli

So far, I wrote the #TheFacts and responded to Carol Goodey and Vicky Loras. Getting to Malu’s questions this time. Malu Sciamarelli is one of the most loved, kind and inspiring Brazilian professional in our PLN. One of the books she recommends and I would like to highlight is from Rubem Alves, who is also one of my favorite educators. Like Rubem Alves, Malu fills our days with words of poetry, stories and philosophical thoughts. Here is what Malu has to say about the Joy of Teaching.

“The Joy of teaching” by Rubem Alves, a Brazilian pedagogist. Summarizing greatly, he states that a teacher should be a happy cheerful person who knows how to share this cheerfulness with the students through one thousand different activities, “because happiness is an inner condition, an experience of richness and freedom of thought and feelings.” Malu Sciamarelli

Here are Malu’s questions:

1. What do you have on your bedroom wall?

That wall in my bedroom used to be Emanuel’s so it has his stuff on it still.

2. What’s the first thing you do when you get up?

Rarely, it starts without it!

3. Do you have a pet?

Carlinhos – our companion for over 10 years

4. What’s your favorite food from your childhood?

My mom’s lasagna.

5. What do you like most about teaching?

Connecting, sharing and learning.

6. What’s the best thing about going to a conference?

I’ve never been to one. But I think for me it will probably be to see my PLN face to face.

7. Do you read two or more books at the same time?

Always! Is that a bad thing? I usually have thoughts and ideas jungling in my mind all at once.

8. Who is your hero?

I don’t have one. Everyone is capable of doing great things out of the ordinary everyday.

9. What’s your favorite country to visit and why?

England. I love the parks, the cafés and Oxford Street.

10. What’s making you smile at the moment?

When my children are enjoying themselves together. It brings a huge smile to my face.

11. Life is too shortnot to love. Love leads me to do good. So love above all things is my motto.

Now, back to Malu and Rubem Alves. I would love to share a little bit more from this wonderful educator, pedagogist, philosopher, life lover.. Years ago among the gifts I received from my school there was a book with thoughts from Rubem Alves filled with poetry and love for learning. I bought then later another book of his in one of my visits to the book store – Philosophy of Science: Introduction to the game and its rules. I wasn’t looking for it. It found me. One of the things he says is,

“That every myth is dangerous because it influences the behavior and inhibits the thinking. The scientist became a myth.”

Then, he explains why the scientist has become such a myth in people’s mind.

“There is a class of people specialized in thinking in the right way (the scientists): The other individuals are freed to the obligation of thinking and are allowed only to do what the scientists tell them to. First of all, it is necessary to banish this myth that a scientist is the person who thinks better than others.”

Rubem Alves

The video I chose to share talks about children natural curiosity that we adults lose as we grow, and I suspect it happens first of all because curiosity, questioning, discovering is the privilege of few in the academy. Thus, school believe in the myth and does not nurture it.